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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Where Heaven Kissed Earth
By Binyamin L. Jolkovsky
Penned more than a decade and a half ago, the writer, JWR's Editor in Chief, believes this essay's message still holds true. He would be honored to hear your opinion. (Click below)
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
As a youngster, I was greeted at my Jewish day school by a poster of an ancient map detail depicting Jerusalem as the world's center. The drawing, of course, was geographically inaccurate, but its message was a powerful one to generations of impressionable children living as a minority in a country that the Framers envisioned as the "new Jerusalem."
Years later, as a rabbinic candidate studying in the Holy City, the idea of Jerusalem's centrality took on a far more tangible meaning. It was the summer of 1989, and my father called me with a request. Distant, non-Orthodox cousins, he said, would be in town shortly. Would I be willing to forego my vacation to act as their tour guide? "Certainly," I said. It sounded exciting.
Though we lived only a few hours away by plane, it was halfway around the world, in Jerusalem, that our two very different worlds would first interface.
Marcel, a college professor, had grown up in an observant home and attended a modern Orthodox day school. He, his wife and their daughter were living a more secular lifestyle in California. Aspiring to be the consummate host, I immediately sought out places that I reasoned the family would find of interest.
We met a few days later at the now defunct LaRomme Hotel. When the conversation began to lag, I whipped out my list of sites, times and prices. I began to read proudly: "Israel Museum, Center One Shopping Mall…" but Marcel soon grabbed my hand and smiled. "We've been in the country for over a week. It's been an endless parade of museums, restaurants, kibbutzim and the like. We came to Jerusalem to see Jerusalem, not more of American exports and not more Western culture." It was a response I had not counted on.
For the next several days, a yeshiva-mate, Avrumi Sitko, and I took the cousins on a tour of Jerusalem -- as seen through the eyes of "ultra-Orthodox" locals. We traveled simply, by foot and, when necessary, bus, tuning our senses to the vibes of the city and the small details lost on large, fast-paced tour groups. We visited the holy sites and shared a Sabbath meal at the home of a famous rabbi, where all were impressed with our host's accessibility and humanity. We joined the joyous dancing as a new Torah scroll was paraded through Jerusalem's labyrinthine alleys. We watched Chasidic children pray and play and, to top it off, took a shopping spree in Mea Shearim.
Though Marcel's wife's clothing undoubtedly violated protocol of the religious neighborhood, she was not stoned, spat at or cursed, as she had been forewarned in America by some secular Israeli friends, yordim, who had given up life in the Land of Milk and Honey for the Country of Steak and Money.
Weeks later, I received a parcel from my cousins containing several photos and a letter. Of their three weeks in Israel, the note read, it was the time we spent together in Jerusalem -- sans the glitzy nightlife and more earthly distractions -- that was the most memorable. It was the one stitch of their trip that made them forget they were tourists and reminded them they were Jews. Indeed, the experience helped solidify their understanding of why Jerusalem, despite Jewry's seemingly infinite exiles, has always remained central in the Jew's life. It is the reason, I suspect, why someone, somewhere created that ancient map detail of my childhood.
Jerusalem is Jerusalem only because it remains Jerusalem -- center of the universe or, as the Talmud describes it, the place where Heaven first kissed Earth.
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© 2010, Binyamin L. Jolkovsky
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